Electrically-driven step-by-step machine.



No. 845,890. PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

A. P. P00LE. ELBOTRIGALLY DRIVEN STEP BY STEP MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.22,1902.

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[RI/6 mar UNITED STATES ARTHUR F. POOLE, @F WHE IDLING, WEST i IltGl'N ELECTRICALLY DR'lVEN STEF BY STEP l llAtEE-llh-EEH Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. March 5, 190?.

Application filed October 22,1902: Serial No. 128.858,

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR F. PooLn, a citizen of the Un ted States, residing at Vl' heeling, in the county of Ohio and State of lVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electricallystated.

Driven Stepby--Step Machines, of which t he 1 the function of one pair being to drive the clock-train at a regulated rate in accordance with regulated current impulses transmitted from the master-clock, and the other pair serving to control or determine the position of a polarized detent which is capable in certain positions of arresting the clock-train for the purpose of synchronizing the clocks.

magnets may be so arranged as to accomplish both of the functions above referred to and that the mechanism of the secondary clock may be otherwise simplified and rendered more effe ctive, hereinafter described and claimed. From this modified construction there result the advantages of cheapness, one magnet doing the work of two, and of elliciency, the leak-field of the driving-magnet suiiicing for the operation of the polarized detent.

The construction and operation of a form of masterciock s ited for use with the secondary clock l'ioioinafter described has been set forth in my patent above referred to. Said master-clock is described as constructed and arranged to send out current impulses I at determined intervals during three periods of each hour or other convenient unit of time, as follows: During the first period, which may conveniently comprise thirty minutes, cur rent impulses are transmitted each minute overthe line-wires in one direction, the effect of each impulse being to cause the minutehand of the clock to advance on the dial by an angular distance corresponding to oneminute, and the hour-hand to move forward one-sixtieth of such angular distance. At the con clusion of this period the direction ofthe current impulses is reversed, and during the sec ond period of the'hour, which may conveniently comprise twenty-nine minutes, current impulses are also sent out each minute,

have now discovered that a single pair of one effect of these impulses being to continue the advancement of the hands, as above Owing to the reversal of the direction of the current impulses during this second period of the hour a detent hereinafter described is moved into position to arrest the clock-train at such time as the minute-hand points to 60, or assumes its up ermost position. During the third and ast period, which may comprise the last minute of the hour, impulses of increased intensity and in number varying according to the particular .hour are sent out in the same direction as those of the second period. Immediately at the close of the third period and before the beginning of the next succeeding first period a restoring-current, comprising but a single impulse in the same direction as the impulses of the second period of the hour, is sent out, as hereinafter more fully described. The effect of this restoring-current is to establish a normal path for t first impulse of the new hour The effect of these several impulses in synchronizing the clocks and accomplish ing other results will be apparent byreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a front elevation of one form of my devic Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elovation on theline a: a of Fig. '3, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

Referring to the figures, 1 represents the usual dialtrain with indicatingdiands, and 2 a driving-wheel therefor with sixty teeth, said w ieel being rigidly secured to the arbor of the minute-hand. Said driving-wheel is actuated by a pawl i-J, pivoted to an armature 4, swinging between the pole-pieces 6 6 of a pair of eleetromagnets 7 7. To the armature e is attached weighted angular lc ver 5, by which the armature is normally held in the position shoi'vn in 2, or by which is returned to such position after it has been moved therefrom by the magnets. llpon. the back or return stroke of the arma true 4- the pawl 23 engages the teethof the driving-wheel 2 and advances it, together with the indicating-hands, through an angular distance corresponding to one minute. A retaining-detent s, which also engages the teeth of the (lriviiigwlieel, prevents backward motion of the same when the pawl 3 is moved into engagement with the next tooth. The electromagnets '7 7 are provided with a yoke D andwith the pole-pieces 6 6, above mentioned, said yoke and pole-pieces constituting the pillars of the framework 10 10. Be-

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tween the front and back plates 10 of this framework passes a rock-shaft 11, to which is secured the polarized armature 12, the ends of said armature projecting, as shown, over the pole-pieces 6 6 and being provided with screw-contacts 13 13 of non-magnetic metal. The shaft also carries the hook or detent 14, which projects in front of the driving-wheel 2 and is adapted, according to the position of the armature 12 and shaft 11, to be thrown into or out of engagement with a pin 15, carried by the driving-wheel. A

permanent magnet 16, preferably of the form indicated, is conveniently secured to the yoke of the electromagnet and projects over the polarized armature 12, above referred to, the purpose of the'permanent magnet being to maintain the polarity of the arbreaks in the circuit, but only by reversals in the direction of the current. The position illustrated in Fig. 2 is that assumed by these parts during the second period of the hour, the detent being in position to engage the pin when the minute-hand shall reach its uppermost position. As will be readily understood, if the secondary clock is in advance of the master-clock the clock-train will be arrested by the detent 14 engaging the pin 15 and held until the beginning of the first period of the succeeding hour. At this time a momentary current belonging to neither the first, second, or third periods of the hour, but consisting of a single current impulse only and conveniently designated the restoring-current, is sent over the line. Such current resets the switch of the masterclock to its normal position, but is without effective action on the secondary clock except in case such clock has not already had its pin 15 brought into engagement with the detent by previous currents. in such case the secondary clock will be set forward by an amount corresponding to one minute. The first current of the new period will withdraw the detent 14, which will thereafter be held out of engagement until the beginning of the second period of the hour, when it will be brought into the position indicated in Fig. 2.

By including in the circuit a single-stroke electric bell the magnets of which are so adjusted as to be unaffected by the normal impulses during the first and second periods of the hour, but to be operated by the impulses of the third period, and by sending out from the master-clock during the third period, as

scaeeo described in my patent above referred to, a series of impulses in the same direction as those of the second period, but of increased intensity, the bell may be caused to strike a number of times corresponding to the num-' ber of such impulses. The number of such impulses will ordinarily correspond to the particular hour. During this third period the clock-trains of such clocks as have reached the position of arrest will be held by the dctent 14, While such clocks as have not reached this position will be advanced by a number of minutes corresponding to the number of impulses sent.

The rock-shaft 11 should be of non-magnetic metal, since otherwisethe detent 14, if of magnetic metal, would become polarized through the polarized armature 12 and its operation rendered uncertain.

It will be noted that the pawl 3 drives the wheel 2 upon its return or back stroke. This is important, for the reason that if the wheel is driven on the forward stroke the detent 14 may become locked on the stop.

While I have described jmy BlGCtIOIINLQ netic driving mechanisinand polarized detent as applied to a secondary electric clock,

it will be obvious that these devices may be applied to the operation of step-by-step machines designed for other purposes. In fact, these devices may be used advantageously in any kind of system employing step-by-step mechanisms, said mechanisms being required to work in unison with each other, and also in those systems in which step-by-step devices are advanced by one magnet and restored to their normal position by the action of another magnet, such as are used in certain systems of party-line telephones or in certain automatic telephone-exchanges.

I claim 1. An electrically-driven step-by-step machine, comprising an electromagnet, a neutral armature and a polarized armature, both of said armatures arranged to be actuated by said electromagnet, as set forth.

2. An electrically-driven step-by-step machine, comprising an electromagnet, a new tral armature arranged to be actuated there by, and a polarized armature within the field of force of said electromagnet, as set forth.

3. An electrically-driven step-by-step machine, comprising an electromagnct, a neutral armature arranged to be actuated thereby, a polarized armature within the field of force of saidelectromagnet, and means operating in conjunction with said polarized armature for arresting the mechanism at a prm determinedpoint, as set forth.

4. A secondary electric clock comprising a clocktrain, an electromagnct, a neutral armature arranged to be act uat ed thereby, a polarizcd armature within the field of force of said eiectromagnet, and means operating in conjunction with said polarized armature for ara predetermined within the field of force of said electromagnet and means operating in conjunction with said polarized armature for arresting the clocktrain when the minute-hand is in its uppermost position, as set forth.

'6. An electrically-drivenstep-by-step machine, comprising a framework, an electromagnet having a yoke and pole-pieces, said yoke and pole-pieces constituting the pillars of the framework, a moving armature, a train, andmeans whereby said train is advanced by the movement of said armature, .as set forth. v

7. An electricallydriven step-by-step machine, comprising an- .electromagnet, polepieces and yoke therefor, an armaturepivoted between said 'poleieces, a permanent magnet attached to said yoke, a train, and means whereby said train is advanced by the movement of said armature, as set forth.

8. An electrically-driven step-by-step machine, comprising an electromagnet, olepieces and yoke therefor, an armature pivoted between said pole-pieces, a pawl pivoted to said armature and a permanent magnet attached to said yoke, as set forth.

9. In an electrically-driven ste -by-step machine, an electromagnet having front and back frames, a rock-shaft supported thereby,

. and a polarized armature and a detent carried by said rock-shaft, whereby the position of the detent is controlled by the direction of the currentthrough the electromagnet, as set forth.

. 10. In an electrically-driven step-by-ste machine, front and back frames, a rock-sha t of non-magnetic material supported thereby, and a polarized armature carried by said rock-shaft, as set forth.

same, a polarized armature, and a detent operating in conjunction therewith to arrest the mechanism, as set forth.

12 An electrically driven step-by-step machine,- compri sing anelectromagnet having a yoke and a permanent magnet attached thereto, aneutral armature and a polarized armature, both. of said armatures arranged to be actuated by said electromagnet, as set forth.

13. An electrically-driven step-by-step machine, comprising an electromagnet having a yoke and a permanent magnet attached thereto, an armature arranged to be actuated by said electromagnet, and a polarized arma ture within the field of force of said electromagnet, as set forth.

14. An electrically-driven step-by-step machine, comprising an electromagnet having a yoke and a permanent magnet attached thereto, an armature arranged to be actuated by said electromagnet, a polarized armature within the field of force of said electromagnet, and means operating in conjunction with said polarized armature for arresting the mechanism at a predetermined point, as set forth. 5

15. An electrically-driven step-by-step machine, comprising a driving .-electromagnet having a yoke and a permanent magnet attached thereto, a polarized armature, and a detent operating in conjunction therewith to arrest the mechanism, as set forth.

- 16. An electrically-driven step-by -step machine, comprising an electromagnet, a moving armature, a pawl pivoted-to said armature and arranged to advance the mechanism upon the return movement of said armature and a polarized armature in the same field of force as said moving armature, as set forth.

17. An electrically-driven step-by-step machine, comprising an electromagnet, a moving armature therefor, a driving-wheel, means for actuatin said driving-Wheel upon the return stroke of said armature and a polarized armature in the same field of force as said moving armature, as set forth.

18. In combination, a secondary electric clock, a circuit therefor and an electric bell included in said circuit, the magnets of said bell being so adjusted as to be unaffected by the normal currents operating the'clock, as set forth.

19. A secondary electric clock having one D element adapted to be operated by a normal '11. In an electrlcally-driven step-by-step. 1 machine, an electromagnet for operating the ARTHUR F. POOLE.

Witnesses:

MINNIE K. CooHRAN', ROBERT A. FLEMING.

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